XRP News Today: XRP's Death Cross Ignites Bull-Bear Battle as Whales Amass $340M Stake

XRP has formed a death cross on its hourly and 4-hour charts, triggering bearish technical signals as the cryptocurrency's 50-period moving average crosses below its 200-period moving average. This pattern, widely interpreted as a sign of deteriorating momentum, has raised concerns among traders about potential downward pressure on the asset. XRP, currently the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has seen its price decline from a recent high of $2.62 to $2.31, reflecting a 1.3% drop in the last 24 hours. The death cross aligns with broader market volatility and a post-Crypto Summit sell-off, where hopes of XRP being included in the U.S. strategic crypto reserve faded The Currency Analytics^[1].

The technical breakdown has coincided with XRP entering a symmetrical triangle pattern on its hourly chart, a formation that historically precedes sharp price movements in either direction. Traders are monitoring key resistance and support levels: a break above $3 could target $3.40, while a failure to hold above $2.20 may push the price toward $1.79 or the 200-day SMA at $1.60 The Currency Analytics^[1]. On the 4-hour chart, the death cross has intensified bearish sentiment, with the asset slipping below critical support at $2.50 and facing potential further declines to $2.25. Analysts note that sustained selling pressure could invalidate bullish patterns on the daily chart, increasing the risk of a deeper correction CoinPaper^[5].

While the death cross is a bearish indicator, market participants emphasize that it is not a definitive predictor of price action. XRP's recent rebound, which saw the price recover from intraday lows of $2.08 to $2.18 within hours, suggests that bullish traders remain active in defending key levels. Short-term volatility has also been amplified by growing retail fear, with Santiment data indicating that bearish sentiment on social platforms has reached a six-month high. Historically, such extreme fear has preceded rebounds, as seen during the Trump tariff announcement earlier this year CoinPedia^[6].

Whale activity, however, hints at a more nuanced outlook. Over the past week, addresses holding 10M–100M XRP have accumulated 120 million tokens ($340 million in value), reflecting growing institutional confidence despite retail pessimism. Additionally, Binance's latest Proof of Reserves report shows XRP backed at 102%, surpassing Ethereum and Solana, which are fully backed at 100%. This overfunding underscores XRP's liquidity and institutional appeal, potentially insulating it from short-term sentiment-driven swings .

The immediate price trajectory will depend on XRP's ability to hold above $2.75, a level analysts view as critical for maintaining bullish momentum. A sustained break above $3.17 could open the path to $3.60, while a pullback below $2.90 may trigger a short-term correction. Market observers also highlight the importance of broader regulatory developments, such as the SEC's pending decisions on XRP ETFs and Ripple's bid for a U.S. bank charter. Delays caused by the U.S. government shutdown, however, remain a wildcard, with potential to extend uncertainty in approvals and dampen investor enthusiasm .